Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1887-05-30

! electricity danced through the droop-
ing bushes and great roar of thun-
/ der followed as if in search of the
hidden ''picket" Neither rain nor
/ lightning nor thunder nor anxious
/ questionings of the sergeant discov-
cred him.
There he was, or must have been,
/ dead or alive, for he had said ''Halt,
but that was apparently all he had to
say.
The sergeant splashed his way
back to the hand car, using very
strong language, and it was decided to
90 forward.
''We're just as likely to be fired
into, first thing" remarked the pay
masters clerk, land they'd hit some
of us sure
Both of the paymasters agreed
with him, and one expressed his sat
isfaction that the box containing the
greenbacks was waterproof.
''That's more than [ am, said one
of the soldiers. ''This ERE rain has got
through my roof. | can feel it trickle
down inside of me-
The hand car was not propelled
rapidly after that, but the lightning
and thunder worked harder than ever.
Perhaps half mile had been gained
when another voice, on the left this
time and not so near, but equally
hoarse and peremptory, shouted:
Halt -
Other words which seemed to fol-
low were swallowed up by wide
mouthed clap of thunder, and so was
the sergeant's prompt response, but
in an instant he was among the bush
es.
The first we heard from him was
Boys, it is up to my waist and
getting deeper -
$50 on, sergeant" shouted one of
the paymasters. "They'u be shoot
ing at us if they don't get an answer"
''Hurrah for Gen. Burnside -
squawked the paymaster's clerk, in
the vague effort to let any supposed
picket know which side he was on,
but a severe sternness from the fur
ther end babe him:
''Shut up Halt Come along! y
''Tm coming!'' shouted the SER
geant. ''Friend paymaster.' y
''Shut up Come along" respond
ed the threatening voice beyond him.
For a full quarter of an hour the
sergeant groped and floundered
among those bushes. Again he used
strong language, very strong indeed
but not a soul came to greet him, nor
did another word reply to his repeat
ed requests that the picket should ad-
wise him as to what course he should
take.
The party on the hand car cowed
under sheets and torrents and whole
mill-ponds of falling water, and hop
ed that there might be a cessation of
the lightning flashes, so that any hid
den rifemen would be less able to
shoot straight.
81 give it up" said the voice of
the sergeant at last. He was only
three PAGES from the car, but was in
visible.
''The boys know who we are, 'said
one of the soldiers, ''and we can go
on; but it's an awful mean joke to
play in such rain as this
"There's something more than that
in it, said one of the paymasters.
There a trap of some kind. Well
never get to Morehead City"
''We'll go ahead, anyhow said
the sergeant. ''There's as much
danger behind as there is before
''Im glad 1 hurrahed for Burn
side" remarked the paymaster's
clerk.
On went the hand car into the wa
ter-soaked darkness, ,and another mile
or more was rolled over before the
wavside summons was sonorouslv re-
peated.
''Quick, now, sergent ~ said the
senior paymaster.
"Don't know, major" ne replied.
.'That fellows away in the swamp.
He's got under cover. couldn't
even find him. Risk it Boys, risk
it Run her ahead. They can't hit
us if they do fire.
..Halt - came warningly out of
the blackness, as the hand car dashed
forward, and with it came thunder
that sounded like the rattle of mus
kerry.
''They didn't work their joke this
time, MAJOR said the sergeant.
'There's more than that in it"
said the major ''Tm glad we're
past this picket, but I'm afraid we're
running into trouble. They may
have surprised bIorehead City and
| the fort"
''Reckon not, Major. Run her
your level best, boys. We won't
halt again for anybody"
That was brave talk, but in less
than twenty minutes he exclaimed:
''Hold on, boys That picket is
right on the track. Stop her for
/ your lives -
They did so, as an ominous and
nenacing threat repeated
Halt Halt - and from the rear